Collapsible table.



G. E. BILTON.

COLLAPSIBLE T-ABLE.

l APPLICATION FILED MAY 8.'I9I6.

' Patented Aug. 14, 1917. l6

FIG -.2 7 o: a I

\ K I 7 F16 1 z E I Ill K L I. L

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE EDWIN BILTON, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-HALF TO NORMAN CECIL MAYNARD, 0F TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

COLLAPSIBLE TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 14, 1917.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE EDWIN BIL- TON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of 14 Bloomfield avenue, in the city of Toronto, county of York, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Tables, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in collapsible tables as described in the present specification and shown in the accompanying drawings that form part of the same.

The invention consists essentially of the novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby the legs are hingedly secured to the table top and are foldable therewith and in the novel means employed for looking said legs in their extended and collapsed positions.

The objects of the invention are to provide a table which may be readily collapsed to occupy a minimum amount of space, to facilitate transportation, to economize in the cost of such transportation, and generally to provide a collapsible table of simple parts which will be neat in appearance, inexpensive to manufacture, durable and efficient.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the table in its erected condition.

Fig. 2 is a view of the bottom of the table showing the legs in their folded positions.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through one end of the table showing the legs in their extended positions.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through one end of the table showing the legs in their folded positions.

Fig. 5 is a view from the underside of one end of the table showing the lever or handle employed to transpose the table from the erected to the collapsed positions.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the table top here shown as rectangular in shape and having the frame 2 extending downwardly therefrom.

3 are transverse wooden strips secured to the underside of the table top 1 adjacent to each end thereof and forming brackets to which are secured the transverse leg supports 4 by means of the hinges 5, said supports being positioned a sufiicient distance from said frame so that when turned backwardly on the hinges 5 their outer sides will abut the said frame.

6 and 7 are the legs of the table rigidly secured in pairs to the supports 4, the pair of legs 7 being secured a short distance from the ends of the supports 4 to admitof their resting between the legs 6 when the table is collapsed.

The leg supports 4 are somewhat narrower in width than the width of the frame 2 and are provided on their outer sides 8 intermediate of their length with metal plates 9, said plates being counter-sunk in the said supports and being adapted to rest against the molding 2 when the said supports are turned outwardly on their hinges.

The plates 9 are somewhat wider than the supports 4 thus forming the projecting flanges 10- adapted to receive pressure on their inner sides to hold them rigidly in contact with the frame 2 and thus lock the legs securely in their extended positions.

11 are wooden blocks rigidly secured to the table top 1 adjacent to the strips 3.

12 are flat metal springs secured to the blocks 11 by straps 13 and having their ends 14 extending outwardly in substantially inverted arch shape and adapted to abut the projecting portions 10 of the plates 9 to hold them rigid with said frame.

15 are metal plates loosely mounted on the sides 16 of the leg supports 4 adjacent to the plates 9 by means of the screws 17 and carrying the handles 18 through which the ends 14 of the springs 12 extend, said plates being adapted on being pushed inwardly by the handles 18 to release the ends of the springs 12 from engagement with the plates 9 to allow the legs to drop to their folded positions.

The plates 15 preferably have a portion of their sides cut away and tapered as at 19 to facilitate the releasing of said springs.

When the table is in the collapsed condition the legs 6 and 7 are folded inwardly flat against the under side of the table top and the plates 15 rest between the leg supports 4 and the blocks 11 with the handles 18 extending downwardly and to bring the table to its erected position it is only necessary to pull the handles 18 outwardly thus allowing the said supports 4 to slide along the curved portions of the springs 12 and to abut the frame 2. As soon as the legs reach their fully extended positions the ends of the springs 12 drop into position against the plates 9 and exert an outward pressure thereon thus holding said plates securely in engagement with the said frame.

It will thus be seen that the leg supports 4 are securely held in position on-three sides, namely, by the strips 3 secured to the table top, the frame 2 and the springs 12 so that the fact of the legs being hingedly secured to the table top does not in any way detract from the rigidity of said legs.

To transpose the table to its collapsed condition it is only necessary to push the handles 18 inwardly and as the plates 15 are but loosely secured to the supports f the said plates act as levers to release thesprings 12 from engagement with the plates 9 prior to moving the said supports thus allowing thev legsto proceed to their folded positions where they are securely held by the pressure of the said springs on the said leg supports.

XV hat I claim is:

1. In a collapsible table, a frame, a top mounted on said frame, legs connected by bars and hinged beneath said top, spring latch mechanisms, one at each set of legs for maintaining the latter in their extended po sitions, and levers, one for each of said latch mechanisms, in angle bar formation, each having a solid section loosely mounted on a leg connecting bar and an open section through which the spring of a latch mechanism extends.

2. A collapsible table comprising a top, a frame formed of side and end boards, legs secured in pairs to transverse pieces and hinged to the underside of the top, arcshaped springs rigidly supported from the underside of the top and extending to and engaging said transverse pieces in the upright positions and releasing members for said springs. secured to said transverse pieces and having an opening through which the springs extend and an operating handle at their lower ends.

3. In a collapsible table,a top, a frame formed of side and end boards extending downwardly from said top, base strips secured to the underside of said top adjacent to the ends thereof, transverse pieces hingedly secured to said base strips and adapted to swing outwardly and abut said base strips and said ends, small metal plates countersunk in said transverse pieces and projecting over the edges thereof and adapted to abut said ends when the legs are ex tended, fiat springs secured in brackets on said top between said base strips and projecting outwardly in substantially inverted arc-shape and adapted toengage said plates for holding said le s to their extended positions, and means secured to said transverse pieces for releasing said springs from engagement with said" plates for operating said legs.

4. In a collapsible table, a top, a frame formed of side and end boards extending downwardly from said top, base strips secured to the underside of said top adjacent to the ends thereof, transverse pieces hingedly secured to said base strips" and adapted to swing outwardly and abut said base strips and said ends, small metal plates countersunk in said transverse pieces and projecting over-the edgesthereof and adapted to abut said ends when the legs are extended, fiat springs secured in brackets on said top between said base strips and projecting outwardly in substantially inverted arc shape and adapted to engage said plates for holding said legs to their extended positions, metal plates loosely mounted on said transverse bars adjacent to said. countersunk plates and engaging the inner sides of said springs when the legs are extended, said plates acting as levers to release said springs: from engagement. with said countersunk plates, and handles for operatingsaid lever plates.

Signediat the city of Toronto, Province-of Ontario, this first day of May, 1916.

GEORGE EDWIN BILTON.

WVitnesses l/V. G. HAMMOND, M. BLAOKWELL.

flopiesiot-this patentmay, be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.3" 

